Institute of Fundraising says election manifestos are disappointing

All three of the main political parties' election manifestos are disappointing for the voluntary sector, the Institute of Fundraising has concluded.

In a statement, the institute said it was "disappointed that there has not been more detail about charitable giving in any of the main political parties' manifestos".

"It is important that the sector keeps up its demands on Government for concrete action for charities, as opposed to non-specific promises and commitments," the statement said.

Lindsay Boswell, chief executive of the institute, said there was little in the Labour or Conservative manifestos that "substantially recognised the sector's work".

He welcomed the Liberal Democrats' proposal to set up ‘easy-giving' bank accounts at publicly owned banks, which the party says would allow people to have charitable-giving accounts alongside their current accounts.

But he added that he was disappointed by the party's commitment to a 23 per cent composite rate of Gift Aid. He said if it replaced higher-rate relief it "could have an immediate negative impact on the sector".